Clay mineralogical and chemical elements analyses of the loess-paloesol deposit of Tawan Profile in Linxia Basin indicated that the climate of Linxia experienced a four-phase alteration, i.e. relatively warm/humid (92.4～78.8 ka) - cold/arid (78.8～59.8 ka) - relatively warm/humid (59.8～47.7 ka) - cold/arid (47.7 ka to present) since the last interglacial period. The loess-paleosol deposit of the profile was dominated with illite, chlorite, mixed layer illite-smectite and minor palygorskite. Palygorskite was ubiquitous in the sediment, suggesting that on the whole the region was relatively arid throughout the period. w(TiO₂)/w(Al₂O₃) ratio of the loess-paleosol deposits indicated of the same origin. The loess-paleosol alternation was attributed to different weathering intensities, which were closely related to rainfall and temperature conditions in the period. Relative proportions of clay minerals, CIA values, w(Al₂O₃)/w(Fe₂O₃), w(SiO₂)/w(Al₂O₃), w(SiO₂)/w(Fe₂O₃) and w(MgO)/w(Al₂O₃) varied quite sharply during the warm and humid period, but rather stable during the cold and arid period. The variation of the clay mineralogical features and major elements indicated significant cooling events occurred at the period of 92.4～78.8 ka and 47.7 ka ～ present, , suggesting unstability of the climate environment in Linxia since the last interglacial period, which was probably related to the winter and summer monsoons in the plateau.